Breaking Green Ceilings

Nadia Ahmad is an author, attorney, law professor, and environmental justice advocate. She has spent her academic career focusing on frontline communities who are the most vulnerable to energy production. She is a Visiting Associate Professor at Yale Law School and an Associate Professor at Barry University School of Law. She teaches environmental law, property, and business organizations. She has presented her research on the law and policy of advanced biofuels in Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Cambridge, Doha, Denver, New York, and San Francisco. Her over 45 scholarly publications focus on the intersections of energy siting, the environment, and sustainable development and draw on international investment law and corporate social responsibility.

Earl B. Hunter, Jr is an unapologetic business owner of an outdoor recreational and marketing company that is committed to get more black folks out in nature, and encourage our white allies to invite non white folks on their outdoor excursions. Earl worked in the recreational vehicle or RV industry as an executive for many years until he realized how people of color and particularly black folks are rarely to be seen purchasing recreational equipment or even enjoying outdoor spaces like parks. So he took matters into his own hands. And he created Black Folks Camp Too, which is based on one simple slogan, treat everyone everywhere equally. This is depicted in the Black Folks Camp Too Unity Blaze. Follow Earl IG:@blackfolkscamptoo Facebook: @blackfolkscamptoo YouTube: @Black Folks Camp Too Website: blackfolkscamptoo.com Follow Breaking Green Ceilings IG - @breaking_green_ceilings

Ecologist Dr. Rodrigo Medellín is one of the most vocal and well-known advocates for the protection of bats and bat habitats. Rodrigo fell in love with bats when he held one for the first time at the age of 13 and today he is known as the “Bat Man of Mexico”. He is especially known for making significant contributions to taking the lesser long-nosed bat off the endangered list in Mexico and the U.S. The lesser long-nosed bat, found in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, is one of just three bat species in North America that are responsible for pollinating cacti and agave plants across the continent.

Rocio Villalobos is from Austin, Texas. She's an avid trail runner who promotes mental health, having experienced her own challenges and finding a place to belong in nature. She runs to promote Indigenous values around running to heal the soul and healing one's relationship to the land and to raise awareness on the importance of increasing racial representation in the outdoors. She is also a mentor who helps connect young people to nature and themselves. In addition, she is also an environmental and social justice activist who is fighting to promote a healthy community in her East Austin neighborhood which is predominantly Latinx and a Black community and has experienced environmental injustices. Last but not least, she is currently working with the City of Austin's equity office as an immigrant affairs coordinator. Connect with Rocio IG: @thexicanaexplorer Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rociodelrosario Follow Breaking Green Ceilings IG - @breaking_green_ceilings Twitter - @breaking_green_ceilings

One would think that food insecurity doesn't exist in one of the richest countries in the world - United Kingdom. Deidre (Dee) Woods who currently lives in London sheds light on the stark disparities that exist in the community she serves. As a food and farming action-ist Dee advocates for good food for all and a just, equitable food system, challenging the systemic barriers that impact marginalized communities and food producers. Having experienced food insecurity herself, Dee found a way to organize community to increase food access and eventually co-founded a food bank in London. Through policy action and decolonizing research and farming methods, Dee is committed to helping families struggling economically, often people of color, including immigrants and refugees. Of Trinidadian heritage, Dee talks about how her experiences of growing up on her father's farm in Trinidad made her passionate about food, farming and connecting to the land. In addition to being a food and farming action-ist, Dee is also an award winning cook!Follow Dee Woods:Twitter: @DidaraInstagram: @osunschild Facebook: Deirdre WoodsFollow Breaking Green Ceilings:IG - @breaking_green_ceilingsWebsite: breakinggreenceilings.com

This is the first episode of a two part series with three wonderful changemakers - Laura Diaz, Samrat Pathania from Environmental Collective for Environmental Justice or EC-EJ and Isabel Lopez and Raizes Collective. This is  yet another wonderfully informative and descriptive conversation with phenomenal environmental justice activists on what inspired them to create their own movements and how they are collaborating to help strengthen and empower their communities. Topics Discussed: How to teach Environmental Justice in the classroom How to build stronger communities through artivism Using data to demonstrate environmental racism Follow Environmental Collective for Environmental Justice (EC-EJ) Website: https://www.ec-ej.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edcollectiveforEJ/ Follow Raizes Collective: Website: https://www.raizescollective.org/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/raizescollective/posts Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: IG - @breaking_green_ceilings YouTube - Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast Website: breakinggreenceilings.com

Billy Almon is an Astrobiofuturist. Billy helps people explore solutions to improve human experiences on earth and in space. He is an inventor and immersive storyteller who aims to reach the next generation of inventors, designers, scientists and engineers – showing them how to design the future they wish to see. Billy is also the co-host of Little Giants, a new TV series on Animal Planet that features some of his global explorations of the nature-inspired design process called Biomimicry. In this episode we talk about: What is biomimicry How can biomimcry be used to reduce human impact on the environment What social justice has to do with the space discovery Follow Billy: IG - @billy_almon Website: billyalmon.com Watch/Learn More: YouTube - Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast IG - @breaking_green_ceilings Website: breakinggreenceilings.com

Benjamin Von Wong is an award-winning Canadian who's work lies at the intersection of fantasy and photography and combines everyday objects with shocking statistics. It has attracted the attention of corporations, like Starbucks, Dell, and Nike and has generated over 100 million views for causes like ocean plastics, electronic waste, and fashion pollution. Most recently, he was named one of Adweek's 11 content branded masterminds. In this episode Ben talks about some of his conceptual photography projects where he tried to communicate the shocking impacts of pollution such as Strawpocalypse: a 10-ft sculpture made from 168,000 reclaimed straws to spotlight plastic pollution and the world’s tallest closet to encourage consumers to shop consciously. He also talks about his podcast Impact Everywhere Podcast and how it's a means to continue amplifying the positive impact of other creatives, entrepreneurs, innovators, changemakers around the world. Watch/Learn More: YouTube - Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast IG - @breaking_green_ceilings Website: breakinggreenceilings.com

Stephen Awoyemi is a PhD student at the Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy. For his PhD research, he looks at how sociological theories can help explain and solve the conservation problem of trade in vulture parts for traditional medicine in Nigeria. He holds an MPhil degree in Conservation Leadership (2014) from the University of Cambridge, UK and Bachelors degree from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Before starting this PhD program, Stephen worked with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, the foremost conservation organization in Nigeria as Conservation Policy and Campaign Officer/Head of Abuja Office and has been a longtime volunteer with the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB). Follow Stephen Awoyemi: Publications - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stephen-Awoyemi-2 Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Website - https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast Instagram- @breaking_green_ceilings Facebook - @breaking_green_ceilings Twitter - @sapnamulki

Raya Salter is an attorney, educator and clean energy law/policy expert, focusing on climate justice. She is a member of the New York State Climate Action Council, which is developing NY’s plan to reach the nation’s leading climate action goals, and a policy organizer with the NY Renews environmental and climate justice coalition. Raya is an experienced advocate, having practiced energy law and regulation in multiple jurisdictions, including New York and Hawaii. In prior roles she was a Senior Attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council and a Regulatory Attorney with the Environmental Defense Fund. She has written widely on energy policy and her book, "Energy Justice, Domestic and International Perspectives" was released in 2018. Follow Raya Salter Instagram - @climateauntie LinkedIn - @RayaSalter Website - rayasalter.com Twitter - @EarthtoRaya Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Website - https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast Instagram- @breaking_green_ceilings Facebook - @breaking_green_ceilings Twitter - @sapnamulki

Deondre Smiles is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Geography and is a citizen of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. His research interests include Indigenous geographies, science and technology studies, and tribal cultural resource protection/preservation. His current dissertation research focuses on historical and contemporary disrespect and disturbances of deceased Indigenous bodies and Indigenous burial grounds in his home state of Minnesota.   Deondre is also teaching a course this spring on indigenous environmental activism at The Ohio State University, which we talk about in-depth in this 44th episode of the Breaking Green Ceilings podcast. Follow Deondre: Twitter - @DeondreSmiles Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Website - https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast Instagram- @breaking_green_ceilings Facebook - @breaking_green_ceilings Twitter - @sapnamulki

Weldon Wade was born and raised in Bermuda and has been active in the Bermuda diving community for over 10 years. The first and only Bermudian certified as freediver/scuba diver/closed-circuit rebreather diver, Weldon is also the founder of an ocean conservation organization called Guardians of the Reef. With important missions that include inviting new divers to explore and protect the ocean, encouraging divers to continue diving, they empower more young Bermudians to see for themselves what lies beneath the waves. Ocean protection is at the core of Guardians, with hunting invasives and removing plastic pollution from the land and sea floor as two of the organization’s main goals. Follow Weldon Wade: Website: https://www.weldonwade.com/ Instagram: @Weldonwade Facebook: @Weldonwade Twitter - @Weldonwade Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Website - https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast Instagram- @breaking_green_ceilings Facebook - @breaking_green_ceilings Twitter - @sapnamulki

This is a re-release of an episode from Feb 2020 season 1 of the podcast. This episode is with the only African American River Keeper in the world, Fred Tutman. Fred is the river for the Patuxent River in Maryland, a north eastern state in the US. This episode is especially meaningful for me because it was the first time I gained the perspective of an elder in the environmental justice movement. Fred’s words still echo in my thoughts because I learned about how segregated the environmental movement is and the challenges that Black and Brown communities face especially when competing with mainstream environmental movements for attention and resources for environmental justice causes. So, I am rereleasing old episodes every other week because I’d like for us to revisit some of the conversations that set the foundation for this podcast. I also want to continue honoring the guests. And another reason for rereleasing episodes is so that our new listeners can catch-up and older followers can reflect on these conversations. A new episode will be released next week. Until then please enjoy my conversation with the Patuxent Riverkeeper, Fred Tutman. Follow Fred: https://paxriverkeeper.org/ https://fredtutman.com/ Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: YouTube- Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast Instagram - @breaking_green_ceilings Twitter - @sapnamulki Facebook - @breaking_green_ceilings

Nicole Jackson, Ivory Levert and Angela Mitchell are co-creators of Black Women in Nature (BWN), an initiative to connect Black women with nature through meditation, nature, hiking, and reflection in Columbus, Ohio. Nicole is an environmental educator and co-organizer for Black in National Parks Week and Black Birder’s Week. Ivory Levert is a certified yoga guide and leads the meditation and mindfulness segments of the BWN sessions. Angela Mitchell is a professional athlete and health and wellness enthusiast who guides the discussions on the importance of holistic living in the BWN sessions. Together these women are helping Black women find and celebrate Black joy, and to connect with their natural environment through mind, body and soul. Follow Black Women in Nature: Instagram: @blkwomeninnature Nicole Jackson - @blackinnpsweek and @nicky.j10 IvoryLevert - @mindfulgreenqueen and @plantthepower614 Angela Mitchell - @theveganfitsta Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram- @breaking_green_ceilings Website - https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast Twitter - @sapnamulki

Hey All! Season 2 is here! I can’t believe that we made it this far. Season 1 was exhilarating and hectic at the same time. We had 40 episodes in 9 months. At that time I didn't think to take a break for various reasons, I was exhilarated by all the amazing guests I found and their stories. I also wanted to get the hang of podcasting and it was new, fun and exciting to me so I just kept going. That said, we are not going to do a repeat of that. This year, I am breaking down the seasons into three months each with a break of one month in-between. I will also be releasing a new episode every other week and in between I will re-release an episode from season 1 with a look back discussion. I’m experimenting with this structure because when I spoke to a few of our listeners one of the pieces of feedback included  that there were alot of episodes in season 1 and it was hard to keep up with so that’s why the schedule of every other week. And because I still want to honor the amazingness of our season 1 guests who you've probably not had a chance to hear from I am re-releasing them. I’m curious to see how that goes. If you have any thoughts please email me at info@watersavvysolutions.com or you can DM on Insta, Twitter, FB, LinkedIn. Links will be in the show notes. Another thing new that we’re doing is we’ve uploaded all 40 episodes on YouTube! It took a loonngg time but we thought it would be useful especially for those of us who need captions. Also, I will be recording videos of some interviews and I’ll let you know in the intros if it is available. So, still focusing on what’s to come in the next season, I’m also going to be experimenting with some formats. I am trying to do a series that focuses on a particular issue so that we can fully get a well-rounded understanding on issues by featuring various perspectives. I am also trying to have more than one guest per show just to show the nuance of environmental issues and themes. In season 1 we covered many themes and you probably noticed recurring themes around environmental justice, structural racism, colonialism this is expected since this podcast focuses on amplifying the voices of environmentalists from marginalized communities and their white allies and this is their experiences. That said, in a listener survey we conducted two months back one of the pieces of  feedback we received is a desire to hear from environmentalists outside of the US. As a Kenyan Indian I love that idea and also released a series on Kenyan environmentalists in season 1. Those are episodes 14 through 17 if you’re interested. But, yes, we will be hearing from more international environmentalists! Other topics we will be covering include: Indigenous led ecological restoration Queer nature Climate change and especially how to communicate on this topic Climate anxiety Wildlife conservation and protection Food sovereignty Religion and the environment I’m getting excited sharing what’s to come this year. Finally, I am so grateful to you dear listener, you have given me hope that we can make a difference together. As an environmentalist I’ve often struggled with my theory of change because I wasn’t seeing favorable outcomes within the timeframe I wanted and I was always limited by somebody else’s agenda. Well, with the podcast I get to show what I think matters, which is a diversity of voices and how everything is connected. Our environmental solutions can’t be just from a single lens. We need multiple perspectives that include consideration of socioeconomic, political, and cultural influences. So, I hope dear listeners that you come to appreciate this approach and also implement it in whatever way you can in your work or daily life choices. Thank you for listening and I look forward to hearing from you. Please feel free to share this podcast with you friends, family and foe. Please leave a review on Apple iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts and finally feel free to reach out to me: Website: https://watersavvysolutions.com/podcast info@watersavvysolutions.com DM on Insta - @breaking_green_ceilings/ Twitter - @sapnamulki FB Group- @Breaking Green Ceilings LinkedIn - @Sapna Mulki  

Jason Baldes is a member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe from the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Land Resource Sciences from Montana State University. Jason's interests have led to work and travel with Indigenous peoples in East Africa, New Zealand, Mexico, Russia, and Denmark. Much of his work has been surrounding the restoration of bison to the Wind River Indian Reservation. Jason currently serves as the Eastern Shoshone Tribal Buffalo Representative, and Tribal Buffalo Coordinator for the Tribal Partnerships Program of the National Wildlife Federation. Jason provides workshops and learning opportunities about Tribal history, water, bison conservation, wildlife/fisheries, and cultural connections with animals through song, story, and language. His efforts help people understand the complexities of contemporary issues through an Indigenous lense, bridging cross-cultural gaps and creating positive relationships with those who wish to understand more about Native American people. Show Notes: https://watersavvysolutions.com/buffalo Topics Discussed: History of Buffalo in the U.S. Cultural, Ecological and Economic Importance of Buffalo in Praireland Rewilding Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilings Twitter- @sapnamulki Follow Jason: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-baldes-80638420/

Ambika Rajyagor is a 24 year old Indian-American Outdoor/Adventure Blogger, Special Needs Advocate, and Activist. She is also the cofounder of DisablednOutdoors an online BIPOC-run community focused on representation and accessibility in the outdoors, wants to ensure that these efforts are intersectional, too—especially after nearly four years of policies that worked against Americans with disabilities. As someone who goes outdoors to look within, she can’t stand silent knowing that there is no real “outdoors for all” experience when racism and ableism exists. Most of Ambika's work in both her personal and professional life has been motivated by her biggest inspiration— her little sister Devika. At a year old, Devika survived AML Leukemia, and because of the extent of her treatment, she has lived with the side-effects of the chemo her whole life. She's severely physically and cognitively disabled, and while she experiences pain and limitations everyday— she is Ambika's “little lotus”. Ambika believes representation matters-- especially in the Outdoors Industry, where so many different minorities are underrepresented, from racial differences, to wealth, and ability differences. Show Notes: https://watersavvysolutions.com/lending-a-voice Topics Discussed: How to be an advocate for disability rights Ableism in the outdoor community How to travel to national parks on a budget Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilings Twitter- @sapnamulki Follow Ambika Rajyagor: Instagram- @gangesgal and @disablednoutdoors Twitter - @ganges_gal

Francisco, recently retired from his position as the director of recreation tourism, heritage and wilderness resources for more than 22 million acres of national forests and grasslands and national monuments in the Forest Service’s Southwestern Region. He served at the U.S. Forest service for more than 35 years. Valenzuela helped guide the development of over $500 million in infrastructure at the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. It is the largest comprehensively planned investment in recreation infrastructure and services in Forest Service history. Francisco has contributed creating a sustainable relationship between human communities and the rest of the living world around the globe. He is now the Board Chair of PUP Global Heritage Consortium, which works to unite people and organizations dedicated to emerging paradigms in heritage management for a more holistic sustainable and vital future. Show Notes: https://watersavvysolutions.com/recreating-in-color Topics Discussed: Recreation Equity Ecology is White Man's Problem Recognizing our Racist Environmental History Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilings Twitter- @sapnamulki Follow Francisco Valenzuela: LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/francisco-valenzuela-01770710 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/francisco.valenzuela.942 Instagram- @franciscovalenzuela2027 Twitter - @franciscov1960

Aalayna Green (she/her) is an undergraduate student at Michigan State University majoring in Zoology.  Her research focuses on the nexus between conservation criminology and women's studies.  She's specifically studying the gendered implications of urban wildmeat trafficking in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A self-proclaimed intersectional conservationist, Aalayna has plans to attend graduate school and focus on wildlife conservation, community sustainability, and women's empowerment. See Show Notes - https://watersavvysolutions.com/trafficking Topics Discussed: Navigating Through Academia as an Undergraduate Women in wildlife trafficking in Africa Conservation Criminology And more! Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilings Twitter- @sapnamulki Follow Aalayana Green Twitter - @aalayna23 Instagram - @aalayna.green

Vasu Sojitra is a professional adaptive athlete. His main passion is for skiing as well as for mountain sports ranging from trail running, rock climbing to packrafting and everything in between. Vasu has climbed peaks like the Grand Teton and climbed and skied peaks in Montana’s Beartooth and Bridger mountain ranges. When Vasu was only nine months old, he was diagnosed with septicemia, resulting in the amputation of one of his legs. Since then, Vasu has not looked back; with the help of his parents, brother, and friends, Vasu has built up the confidence needed to face new challenges with grace, courage, strength, humor, and unwavering determination. With the motto of “ninjasticking through the wood to bring intersectionality to the outdoors” Vasu leads outdoor activities for people of marginalized backgrounds and challenges the biases that go with being a person of color with a disability through his work with the In Solidarity Network and first adaptive athlete for The North Face as well as his previous work as the Adaptive Sports Program Director for Eagle Mount Bozeman and Co-Founder/Program Coordinators for Earthtone Outsideᴹᵀ. See Show Notes - https://watersavvysolutions.com/ninjasticking Topics Discussed: Disability Justice Creating Access for Disabled and the Outdoors Adaptive Athletisism And more! Follow Breaking Green Ceilings: Instagram - @Breaking_Green_Ceilings Facebook- @breaking green ceilings Twitter- @sapnamulki Follow Vasu Sojitra Instagram - @Vasu_Sojitra Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/vasu.sojitra.athlete Twitter - https://twitter.com/vasu_sojitra LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasusojitra19/